APPLETON, Wis. (WBAY) – One of the jewels of Door County’s eastern shore will be spared from future development.

On Thursday, Lawrence University and Door County Land Trust signed an agreement to preserve 305 acres of the Björklunden estate south of Baileys Harbor.

The agreement protects and preserves the “natural beauty and ecological integrity” of nearly 70 percent of the property, according to Lawrence University.

Björklunden was once a summer retreat of Donald and Winifred Boynton of Highland Park, Ill. They called it Björklunden vid Sjön, Swedish for “Birch Grove by the Lake.”

The property was bequeathed to Lawrence University in 1963 to be preserved “in a way that would ensure its legacy as a place of peace and contemplation,” says Lawrence.

“Our agreement to preserve natural habitat at Björklunden underscores our commitment to Donald and Winifred Boynton who generously gave us these lands close to 50 years ago,” said Mark Burstein, president of Lawrence University. “We are grateful for the partnership we have established with the Door County Land Trust which makes this agreement possible.”